Digital Collapse
by Psycho King
Summary: Tamers- What do you do when your world falls apart?
1. Not So Happy New Year

Digital Collapse  
By  
Psycho King

Story Disclaimer: Psycho King does not own Digimon Tamers and is not trying to make monetary profit off of this story. Those rights had belonged to Bandai (which have sense been sold to another company).

Chapter 1: Not so Happy New Year

It was strange, so strange.

It was suppose to happen thirteen years ago. All the fanatical groups had gathered to celebrate 'the end of the world' at the dawn of 'the new millennium' (which was strange in itself because the new millennium wasn't supposed to begin until the year after that…). Paranoid groups and pessimist alike were expecting the governments of the world to collapse.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Nothing happened…

Or at least, nothing that could be seen.

In this modern world, humans have grown use to things happening instantly, forgetting that some things occur slowly.

Slow…

In its own time…

Timed out…

Like a bomb…

A time bomb in the system…

Tokyo… one of the cities in this world that never sleep. It is refereed as such because, even in the dead of night, some activity is happening. Thanks to technology, people can work late, have a night on the town with friends, or just sit at home and do nothing.

However, on this night of the New Year, this bustling city of lights is quiet and dark.

(error, error)

"Riley, explain!" came a rough voice. The room they were in was completely dark.

"I'm _cough_ not sure Yamaki. We were scanning the network _coughcough_, something strange happened deep within the digital world, and the power went out." A young woman's voice replied.

Someone finally opened up a door, letting moonlight shine in from outside onto a tall man in a black business suit while holding sunglasses and a lighter in his hands, Yamaki. "Speculations on the incident observed before power loss."

As more moonlight filtered in, there could be seen in the center of the room a raised platform with two command stations facing back-to-back. A woman with dark-red hair was climbing out of the station closest to Yamaki while another woman with dirty-blond hair paused in her more cautious climb down.

"From what I could see, sir," the blond said, while looking like she hoped someone would bring a ladder. "It looked like a wave of deletion spreading from where the kids described as the land below the Digimon Sovereign's domain."

Yamaki became agitated, rapidly opening and closing his lighter. "Are you suggesting that this was the work of some remnants of the D-Reaper?"

The red-head, Riley, took over explaining as her coworker fell out of her terminal and onto a male-programmer below. "No sir," she tacitly shook her head. "While operating in the Digital World, the D-Reaper was very slow and meticulously, deleting one factor of data at a time, almost viral-like. This is more equivalent of a deletion BOMB, taking out entire areas at once!"

A long pause ensued, with the only noticeable sound being the click of Yamaki's lighter.

"Sir…?" the blonde asked.

With a final click, Yamaki broke from his musings and faced his subordinates. "Tally! I want you to catalog all technological systems that are still functional. Also, find out how extensive the blackout is."

"Yes, Sir!" the blonde woman, Tally, exclaimed before hurrying out of the room.

"Riley, get in contact with the Monster Makers in any way necessary. I want them working with you to breakdown this Digital Bomb theory of yours and formulate evidence for it!"

"Of course," she replied but paused for a second. "Sir… shouldn't I also contact the Tamers? They may be needed to fix the problem."

Yamaki paused for a second. "No, not until we're sure that they are needed. Don't try and hide what information we have, but unless they come to us leave them to their own devices."

"Right," before Riley could leave though, a security guard came running into the room.

"Sir, we have several civilians in the lobby asking for you…"

"How many times do I have to tell you? Anyone from the press is not to be let into the building!" Yamaki growled.

Nervously, the guard continued, "…but sir, they're not from the press. They are family members of those kids who fought the D-Reaper."

"What?" both Yamaki and Riley exclaimed.

"They want to know what happened to their kids when…"

Before the guard could finish his sentence, Yamaki was already out the door and heading toward the stairs, Riley hot on his heals.

(error, error)

In the dim candle/kerosene-lamp light of the lobby, Yamaki rubbed his forehead, trying to keep the forming headache from getting too bad. For the past five minutes, he's been listening to the various parents yell at him about "what happened to their son/daughter".

Mr. Matsuki, Mr. Katou, Mrs. Hata, and Kazu and Kenta's fathers were the ones really yelling. Jyanyu Wong, Mr. Akiyama, and Ai and Mako's father were being quiet, possibly waiting for him to offer an explanation. The remaining parents were huddled around the kids in the back, crying their eyes out about how "their baby's too young to die". The two older Wong children were trying to comfort the crying parents.

"ENOUGH!" yelled the normally reserved woman beside him; nearly knocking the composed look off of Yamaki's face.

The blonde businessman smirked to his associate, "Thanks Riley," then he faced the parents. "First of all, Mrs. Wong. I ask that you and the others move aside so that the medics can take the Tamers to the medical ward."

With their concentration broken, the crying parents were guided to their spouses by Rinchei and Jaarin, Henry's older brother and sister. The medical team, no longer afraid of being mobbed by hysterical mothers, laid the Tamers out on stretchers and began carrying them back up the main staircase.

Though he didn't show it, Yamaki was relieved when Tally showed up, folder in hand, which she passed to him. Quickly scanning the contents, he returned his attention to the parents. "Now, at 23:59:59, our systems recorded some unusual activity in the Digital World. Shortly there after all systems in this building, and in all observed parts of Tokyo, shutdown in what was assumed was a power outage. Further investigation shows that while simple electronic devices such as flashlights still work, anything requiring the city's power grid or rely any form of circuit board technology is non-functional."

Mrs. Hata, Rika's grandmother, walked up to him and demanded. "While that is all fascinating, young man, what does it have to do with the Rika and her friends' sickness?"

Riley stepped forward, "We won't know for sure ma'm until the medical team have completed their examination. Although it would help if you told us what they were doing at the time of the incident."

Jyanyu spoke for the group, "We were all at the park for the New Year fireworks. Kazu and Kenta were wrestling Ryo; Suzie, Ai, and Mako were cheering Ryo on; Takato, Henry, Rika, and Jeri were sitting with us. Then about the time you said the 'incident' happened in the Digital world, they all stopped, cried out in pain, and fell to the ground."

"Were they near any significant electronic system?" Yamaki asked in his normal stagnant voice.

Most of their parents instantly shook their heads, but Jyanyu paused before saying, "The D-Arks!"

"Thought so," Yamaki said as he turned to head to the medical ward, motion the parents and Riley to follow. "Jyanyu, go with Riley. She may need your help in contacting your associates, the Monster Makers."


	2. Dream a NEW Dream

Digital Collapse

Chapter 2: Dream a NEW Dream

The mid-morning sunlight was oppressively bright to Riley's eyes. Almost to match, was the silence of the observation room to the Medical Ward. She hurriedly made her way to Yamaki's side at the window. Mr. Wong, who followed her in, quickly made his way to his wife on the nearby couch.

Over her boss's shoulder, the red-head computer tech saw the ten children… no… teens and pre-teens laid out on hospital-style beds. On the right side of the room; Kazu, Kenta, Jeri, Suzie, Ai, and Mako were all resting peacefully. Over the past three years, the three youngest tamers had grown up a lot.

Suzie was now only a head shorter than her brother. Her pink Chinese clothes had become more feminine, complementing her new height. Finally the two hair-tuffs on top of her head had been grown out to become full Chinese Hair-buns.

Ai and Mako had also grown taller, with Mako being a hair-shorter. Mako still wore jeans and an orange windbreaker, but the jacket was open, revealing a white t-shirt with the Blue-card symbol on the front. Ai had changed a lot more. Her two pony-tails had been braided into one pigtail that reached her waistline, her face had lost its baby-fat and become more heart-shaped, and in honor of their partner, she wore a knee-length purple skirt and a dark red blouse.

Jeri had also changed her appearance. Instead of being in any form of braid, her hair was hanging loose at shoulder-length. She was wearing a blue skirt and yellow long-sleeve shirt with matching sandals.

Kazu and Kenta had barely changed at all. Kazu had stopped wearing his visor but had started wearing a contraption similar to 'Ryo's Gauntlet' that the legendary tamer had worn in the digital world. The only significant change in Kenta was the small tools that were sticking out of various pockets on his person. Over the three years he had gone from a shy, quiet, nobody to a shy, quiet, super-mechanic; being the one that the Tamers, and most of their parents, go to in order to fix anything.

The four resting on the other side of the room, however, were nowhere near as peaceful.

Henry was now closer to his father's height and replaced his vest and t-shirt with an untucked, blue dress shirt with a white undershirt. He was trashing from side to side with heavy perspiration rolling down his face.

Rika had defiantly grown into her mother's good looks; resembling a model despite her tomboyish style. She still wore jeans but her shirt was now a long-sleeve, solid blue, with a white heart on her left shoulder, and exposed a hint of midriff. Her spiky hair-tie had become undone when she curled into a ball in the lobby; not having moved from that position sense except the occasional twitch and shiver.

Takato, also taller, look almost identical to how he was before the final battle with the D-Reaper. Only now, his arms were crossed over his chest; his fingers digging into his shoulders, and occasionally you could see him mouth one word over and over… _'Guilmon'_

Ryo was in the best shape of the four. Still wearing gray pants and rust-red shirt, Ryo was groaning in pain as a light sheen of sweat covered his forehead.

Despite all that was going on with the tamers, Yamaki's eyes were fixed on the nine digivices laid out on the table on the other side of the window. All of their screens had shattered with some of them issuing smoke from inside.

"Progress, Riley." The businessman said without even looking at the technician.

Also not moving her eyes from the devices, Riley spoke. "With Mr. Wong's help, I was able to send a message to Dolphin who was giving a lecture at Tokyo University, Babel will be reached within a day in Kyoto, and Curly arrived on her own accord before we could contact her; but Daisy is in Nevada so contact will be delayed an untold number of days and Shibumi, as usual, had disappeared with no known destination."

"Well done Riley," Yamaki said in his neutral voice. "Continue trying to reach Daisy and keep me updated on any improvements in reaching her. As for Shibumi, I have a feeling he'll be coming to us when _he _feels he is needed."

A few minutes passed where neither of them spoke, content watching the doctors and nurses move back and forth around the tamers.

"Sir," Riley asked with concern. "How are they doing?"

She watched as Yamaki effortlessly tapped window, catching the attention of one of the doctors inside. The doctor in question made his way over to the door connecting the two rooms.

Yamaki looked at him with a stern gaze. "Diagnosis, Doctor." The elder doctor looked nervous, idly flipping thru the clipboard in his hands; obviously stalling until he could piece his words together.

"Uh… well…" the doctor mumbled, "Truth be told, sir, we're still not sure. We are limited because not all of our equipment functions, but from what we can tell there shouldn't be anything wrong with them. The only thing that seems out of place is an increase in electrical impulses between their cells."

"What effect has that had on them?"

Looking back at his clipboard the doctor continued. "…a slightly elevated pulse rate and a heightened response in their reflexes. Unexpected, but harmless for now." With a curt bow, the doctor made his way back to the examination room and his colleagues.

Several minutes passed where Yamaki continued to stare through the window. Riley finally saw his eyes through the corner of his sunglasses. The bags under his eyes were only outnumbered by the wrinkles at the sides. "Sir, you should go to sleep."

"I rested last night, Riley."

"I doubt that _Sir_! I know you too well Yamaki. You take forever to fall asleep, and you've not had the time to do so sense the families showed up last night."

"I'm responsible for their care right now. I'm not going to rest until they are able to."

Riley smirked, turned toward the door, and whispered to her boss. _"That can be arranged, Sir."_

(upload, upload)

_Cold…_

_So cold…_

_Takato looked around. He was standing on the street in front of his family's bakery. The steady rain seemed to dampen the color of his normally bright neighborhood._

'_What's going on here?' He began running around from store to store, hoping to find people that were not there. 'Where is everybody?'_

_Ta…ka…to…_

_Becoming nervous, the young tamer headed toward the only place he's ever felt at peace, the park. He tried to ignore the darkened buildings along his path and the ghost-quiet streets._

_So much quiet, for a young man who grew up surrounded by the noise of modern Tokyo, chilled him to a point that the rain could never reach._

_When he reached the edge of the park, he saw SOMETHING out of the corner of his eyes, 'What was that?' but by the time he turned to look it had already disappeared. All he could tell was that it was also heading in the same direction he was._

_He ran thru a patch of tree and made his way to the clearing in the middle of the park. The clearing where their Digimon return to the Digital World. In the center, eight shadowy people stood, as if waiting for something._

_Takato then noticed the figure he had seen earlier leave the woods not too far from where he was and head to the other shadows. Two had a dwarfish stature and seemed to hide in the darkness; one floated off the ground like an angel; the fourth groaned and creaked as he moved like an old car; the fifth just screamed confidence and pride with her posture; next to her was a man who's arms and fingers were wide enough to float on and had a small spike on his head; behind him, a shorter one with similar appearance, but had three spikes and a darker tan; off to the side, another one was built like a collogue of iron and scales; the last one, the one Takato followed, gracefully stood on her toes, balanced by a tail, and her motions were mimicked by the twitches of her ears. Soon, they began speaking, and Takato unknowingly spoke along._

_Partners apart,  
Survive thy cannot;  
For divided thy fall,  
And joined thy have soared;  
But the die has be cast,  
Fate will not be denied;  
When the yang is lost,  
The yin will partake,  
And from which,  
new saviors will create._

(upload, upload)

Talley was silently enjoying a cup of ice-coffee in the viewing room. Someone might be concern that she was a little _too _relaxed. In fact, she was completely stressed out from long hours at a hectic pace. It was now 11:55 on January 1st, almost one day sense this new madness started, and she has yet to even try to get any sleep.

However, she was at peace.

She saw herself as having learned not to sweat the 'large stuff' when it came to the Tamers. In her view, everything seems to work out just fine when they're involved. No worries…

Which you could not see right now, as she did a spit-take when the Tamers started to glow… "Mr. Yamaki! Riley!"

A few prone blankets on the couch instantly sat up. "_yawn_ Tal', this had better be a good reason for interrupting my nap." Came the droning voice of Riley.

Unable to do anything else, Talley just shakily-pointed to the window while stuttering, "D-Arks… kids…"

Riley instantly scrambled to her feet and ran next to her co-worker.

They both stood in shock as both Tamers and D-Arks were bathed in a heavenly light. Then in a bright flash the D-Arks flew to their respected tamers; one landing in Ai and Mako's outstretched hands and the others resting on the Tamers chests.

**_Bubum, Bubum_**

The digivices continued to flash, mimicking the Tamers' synchronized heartbeats.

"Ri-Riley," Talley stuttered. "Shouldn't we get Mr. Yamaki… Mr. Wong… SOMEBODY?"

"No good," Riley curtly replied.

**_Bubum, Bubum_**

"WHAT! WHY?"

"They're asleep."

**_Bubum, Bubum_**

"Then we should wake them up!"

"That can't happen for another 6 hours." Riley said while looking at a pocket watch; one of the few timepieces in the building that still worked.

**_Bubum, Bubum_**

"Huh?"

"Sigh Yamaki and the parents needed rest, so I slipped sleeping pills into their dinner."

**_Bubum, Bubum_**

Talley stared dumbfounded at her co-worker.

"They wouldn't have been able to do anything even if they were here." Said a new voice.

**_Bubum, Bubum_**

Both programmers spun to see the person in the doorway. He was wearing a wind-breaker and a baseball cap, which covered most of his features, but his curly blonde hair and rugged beard was unmistakable to the two girls.

"Shibumi…" they whispered in a mix of awe and shock.

**_Bubum, Bubum_**

The mysterious Monster-Maker casually made his way to the window, speaking without looking at either woman. "This was going to happen the moment the clock struck midnight last night." He said while taking off his hat, revealing a red triangle surrounded by three other triangles on his forehead.

"What's going to happen Shibumi?" Talley asked.

**_Bubum, Bu…_**

"Data infusion…" Shibumi whispered, as the red triangle on his forehead shone. "…activate."

With a renewed glow, the D-Arks broke into digital bits.

(upload, upload)


	3. Change a Little Bit More

Digital Collapse

Chapter Three: Change a Little Bit More

'What a strange dream,' was Takato's first waking thought. Without opening his eyes, Takato propped himself up onto his elbows. "Man, I feel like I was run over by Locomon." His skin felt warm, like there was a substantial heat surrounding him.

"Good, you've awaken also!"

Takato turned to the voice and saw… a giant eye staring at him. "WAHHHH!"

"Oh, sorry if I startled you." The doctor pulled the magnifying glass away from his eye and helped the young man to his feet. Around the room, other doctors were helping the tamers to their feet as well.

"Where are we going?" Takato asked while the doctor sat him in a wheelchair. (Which was not really necessary, but is part of medical protocol)

"Mr. Yamaki wanted to talk with you."

(restart, restart)

_Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix_

(restart, restart)

Henry silently groaned as he moved himself from the wheelchair to one of the plush chairs in Yamaki's office. The leader of Hypnos was standing with his back to them, looking out the floor-to-ceiling window.

He busied himself by rubbing the soreness out of his fingers as the other tamers, his friends, took their seats as well; Takato and Rika were each in chairs like his, and everyone else were spread out on three couches angled behind the chairs.

"Mr. Yamaki, what happened to us?" Takato's voice, despite its bluntness, still carried the respect that Henry has always heard him give the Hypnos team.

"Matsuki, there has been an… accident."

(restart, restart)

_Things do not change; we change._

(restart, restart)

Rika tensed up at the businessman's voice. It wasn't that she didn't believe what he was telling them, because she felt it in her very being that it must be true, but that his news shook her very being.

Gone… they were gone…

Yamaki continued on for the next few minutes, explaining the evidence to prove his conclusion.

…didn't he know… care… he's only making it worse… the pain in her heart… it hurts… hurts so much… and it grew worse with each word he spoke…

'_Renamon…'_

She felt something on her cheek. With a trembling hand, she touched the area under her eyes, where this new sensation was rolling down her face.

Wetness… bringing her hand away, she saw them… tears… her tears… glistening on her fingers.

She had never shed tears for anyone else; not for her mother and grandmother, and certainly not for her father; only for her friends. It still felt so new to her, crying, yet she knew she should.

Around her, everyone else were also in tears, except for him… he just sat there… hunched over.

She finally heard him speak; his voice reminded her of THAT side of him. The side that convinced her that Digimon were more than data… the side that urged us forward when we battled the Devas, the side that created…MEGIDRAMON… the side that fought so hard to save Jeri from the D-Reaper… "No," it was a horse whisper, but one that we could all hear. "He can't be gone. We promised we'd be there for each other, forever." Takato's words halted all other conversations, including Yamaki's.

"Matsuki, they are. The Digital World, and all it's inhabitants have been destroyed." The Hypnos leader said with his monotone voice.

"NOOO!" With that anguished scream, Takato bolted from his chair and ran out the room, moving faster than she has ever seen him move before.

Rika tried to follow him, but her sense of balance had been off sense she woken up. The best she could do was stumble into and down the darkened hallway. Somehow, was able to avoid Yamaki and anyone else she would have seen in the building.

(restart, restart)

_There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered._

(restart, restart)

She knew were to find him. It was the place where she first saw him face to face. (Even though she'd felt that she had known him before then)

Still stumbling, Rika made her way along the path, searching for the STUPID Gogglehead that they called their leader… that Gogglehead that she call her friend.

'_There he is,'_ Rika couldn't believe that she reached him first. Even with this 'feeling' that lead her to him, her bad sense of balance SHOULD have slowed her down. _'Now that I think about it, I don't even remember going thru town. I should've passed by the markets on the way here.' _

She shook those disturbing thoughts from her mind as she came to a stop next to Takato. He was sitting under a tree along the pathway. His lanky legs were pulled in close to him and his head was buried in his arms.

"You going to be ok, Takato?" Rika shocked herself with the tenderness in her voice but, after thinking about the situation, saw that it was right.

Not answering her, Takato looked up at the path. "It was right over there."

"Wha?" she follows his line of sight but saw nothing but a well worn path. "What're you talking about gogglehead?"

"She drop-kicked him into that fence, then you came from behind this very tree and called him a 'lousy fighter'." He said, patting the tree behind him.

Rika blushed, "Yeah, I think my next words were 'shut up, it's time to fight'." She gave him her slow smile. "Who knew we'd end up being such close friends… saving Tokyo together, among other things."

Both teens sat there for a while, neither willing to say what was truly on their minds. The light wind blew across and made a musical whistling sound thru the chain link fence.

Both tamers look the other in the eye and Rika, ever so slowly, moved closer to Takato. Her arms subconsciously snaked around his, surprisingly warm, shoulders as his did the same around her waist. "Yeah, I miss them too." He whispered into her ear.

The two tamers, one a red-headed tomboy and the other a shy gogglehead, held each other in a gentle hug; moistening the other's shoulder with silent tears.

(restart, restart)

_We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves._

(restart, restart)

"What do you mean we can't go after them!" Ryo yelled at the Hypnos team; hoping he still looked threatening despite his right arm hanging limp.

Dolphin and Mr. Akiyama were standing firm to block Ryo's path outside. "Boy, you and your friends can barely move without help. What makes you think we're going to let you go wander out there with all those End-of-the-world nutcases?" His father demanded.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing!" Henry, who was still rubbing his hands, was standing at Ryo's side, also trying to get the parents to stop being so hysterical.

"Yes you can." Both boys turned to see, the ever stagnant voiced, Yamaki coming up behind them. "Shibumi, has yet to explain what the D-Arks did to you," the businessman mumbled a few expletives including '# programmers and there timetables' under his breath. "Until he does, I don't want to risk more of you kids out there."

"What about Chumly a Queenie," Kazu said, joining into the conversation. "Sure, Rika would normally kick butt on anyone who'd even look at her wrong, but did you she how she was moving when she went after Takato? She could barely walk, let alone beat up some doomsday punk." Even though his voice was adamant, Kazu's movements were jerky and slow at best.

"A few street thugs are the least of their worries." Everyone jerked back as Shibumi appeared from a nearby door; his baseball cap back firmly in place.

"What do you mean?" Henry asked wearily.

(restart, restart)

_Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me._

(restart, restart)

Takato and Rika walked side by side; so he could help her stay balanced; as they slowly made their way back to the government building housing Hypnos.

"Gogglehead, If you tell anyone about me tripping and falling on my face you're a dead man." She said with a scowl. "Especially if those someone's that find out are 'Mr. Perfect' and those dweebs Kazu and Kenta!"

"Eh, heh… whatever you say Rika."

When they got near the edge of the part, both tamers began hearing the sounds of looting and mayhem.

"Idiots," Rika muttered. "What do they have to gain from steeling a few TVs that don't even work? If I was given the chance to stop them I'd…"

"But we can't, Rika," Takato interrupted, wishing what he was saying wasn't true. "Right now we are just two teenagers, and sick teenagers at that. Nothing would make me feel better to stop them, but we can't, not now."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it, Gogglehead."

(restart, restart)

While Takato and Rika crossed the road that followed along side the park, neither one of them noticed the electrical sparks coming up form the earth and moving along thru the trees. These sparks traveled from one object to another, pausing for moments before moving on, and finally settling on one small squirrel. This unfortunate woodland creature began to grow, with it's claws elongating, black stripes appearing on it's fur, and it's eyes glowing dark red.

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'_What was that?'_ Both teens instantly froze in their tracks, Rika feeling a cold jolt running down her spine.

Without a word between them Rika and Takato faced the other side of the street, where the park's tree-line came along the road. The cold feeling getting stronger as they saw the leaves of the trees shaking in the, now, still air.

"Something is coming." She whispered.

"Yeah," he responded.

The few looters, police, and normal people on the streets also stopped took notice as the sound of a falling tree echoed thru the branches.

CHUNK! "AAAAAAH!" Everyone went running as a twenty-foot tree flew thru the air, crashed into the street, and skidded to a halt right next to the two Tamers.

Right behind the projectile there was a monstrous beast. This creature was five feet high at the shoulder and fifteen feet long not including it's tail; which added another ten feet to it's length. It's fur was brown with black tiger-stripes; it's claws were nine inch spikes digging into the concrete; and it's eyes were glowing a dark red. It let out a horrendous screech before turning those glowing eyes onto the two tamers.

"Takato…" Rika said, her arm still draped over Takato's shoulder.

"Yeah Rika?" the goggleheaded tamer said while still staring at the creature.

"RUN!"

With that, both teens bolted down the street; Takato keeping up a good pace, despite holding Rika up so that she wouldn't stumble. The creature followed, keeping close enough to try and bite the Tamer's heels.

"Why's it after us?" he yelled.

"Less talking, more running!" she yelled as she hobbled at his side.

After running for what seemed like forever, they finally left the monster behind by dodging down an alley. Both of them stopped, breathing heavily in the middle of the business street.

Rika was leaning over, supporting herself by propping her arm on her kneecaps. "I think we lost it." She said between deep breaths.

"Yeah… awh, nuts!"

"What! What is it!" Rika jerked her head up, expecting to see the monster come tearing down the street after them again.

"They looted it." She turned to see what he was looking at, and saw the Matsuki Bakery; it's windows shattered and a few pieces of bread laying in front of the building. "Awh man, mom's so gonna blow a gasket when she sees this."

WHAP! "Worry about that later, Gogglehead!" Rika yelled after whapping him on the back of the head. "Like AFTER we get away from the Mega-squirrel!"

Their argument ended right there when they heard the monsters screech coming from… ABOVE!

"RIKA, LOOKOUT!" her goggleheaded friend shoved her out of the way as the monster landed where they were standing earlier.

Rika landed hard on the far side of the road. As soon as she came to a stop, she spun around to see the Goggledheaded Tamer slumped against the outer wall of the bakery. He was conscious but stuck staring up at the monster hunched above him, it's paw raised up and ready to come down in a death-blow. "TAKATO!"

(restart, restart)

_Change your thoughts and you change the world._

(restart, restart)

Takato's thought were running at an impossible speed, _'NO! Not like this! I never got to tell her."_

It was then that he felt it. The warmth in his skin seemed to erupt into a full inferno. At the same time something small and sparkly floated inches before his face.

(restart, restart)

"Takato…" Rika said again as the dust from the broken wall billowed around the creature. _'Not again… I lost Renamon, I can't lose him as well.' _For the third time today, tears openly rolled down her face. She no longer caring if the monster caught her as well.

"Hay UGLY!" Both Rika and the squirrel-monster looked up to the roof of the Matsuki Bakery. There stood the builds young resident; his skin glowing as a mist of data rotated around him, like fairy-dust. "THAT'S… MY… HOME!"

Suddenly, the data condensed around him into a white sphere, and in the back of her mind, Rika heard the words; DATA INFUSION…

The sphere spun faster and faster, widening into an oval shape until the data dispersed into the air around it; revealing the new being inside.

He was still about Takato's height, maintaining the lanky build of the Gogglehead, and the face was the same; but from there on the differences were striking. His skin had turned a crimson red and was scaled like a reptile; the first three fingers of each hand were replaced with two four inch long claws; his feet were about an inch wider, had three claws instead of toes, and had a stark white patch of skin on the top; his eyes were silted and currently very dilated as he stared at the squirrel-creature; and, almost comically, two little bat wings flapped on his head where his ears use to be.

The creature stood up on his hind-legs and screeched as it came eye to eye with Takato.

In a mocking manner, Takato held his hand out palm up and waved the monster toward him. "Lets dance."

The monster lunged forward and Takato leaped forward; meeting each other in midair. Squirrelzilla snapped at him with it's buck-teeth, but the dino tamer reacted by bringing a fist down onto the top of it's muzzle. "ROCK SMASH!" The shock of the punch knocked the creature back down to the street as Takato followed.

Landing a few feet apart, Rika watched the gogglehead wait for Squirrel Kong to get back onto all fours. Once it had righted itself, it screeched as it's tail bristled; the clumps of fur sharpened into hard spikes.

"Takato, lookout!" she yelled as the monster brought the tail around, strafing the buildings in the process, to slam it down on him.

In the blink of an eye, Takato dodged and rushed under Mega-Squirrel delivering a powerful high kick into the creatures belly, launching it into the air.

(restart, restart)

_Nothing endures but change._

(restart, restart)

Bringing his leg back down, Takato subconsciously focused his body's excess heat into the top of his foot. A crimson orb about the size of a soccer ball appeared there, as he internally smirked. Juggling it with his feet for the few seconds, Takato then kicked it up to eye level, and spun clockwise with his kicking leg out stretched. "PIRO…… KICK!" he yelled, as his foot came in contact with the orb; launching it at, the still airborne, squirrel monster.

(restart, restart)

Rika watched as the glowing red ball flew thru the air, at an incredible velocity, and nailed the monster. Rika had to shield her eyes from the resulting explosion. When the dust cleared, she saw a perfectly normal squirrel land on the ground and scurry back in the direction of the park. All that remain of the monster was a cloud of erratic data that was soon absorbed into Takato.

"Takato?" she asked, still trying to understand all that she had seen.

Gogglehead looked over at her and gave her his goofy smiled. "Rika!" Moving at a more normal speed, he began running over to the fellow tamer. The smile seemed to spread wider across his red face; his batwing-ears flapping as if they were trying to help him move faster.

"Takato!" as he got within her reach, she moved closer with open arm, and...WHAPPED him once again on the head. "I THOUGH YOU HAD DIED, YOU STUPID GOGGLEHEAD!"

As several black vans pulled up with Yamaki and the Monster Makers leaning out the windows, Takato was laid out on the ground; his swirled eyes starring up at the blue sky.

(restart, restart)

_The more things change, the more they remain… insane._

(restart, restart)

(restart, restart)

The quotes were stated by, in this order, Christina Baldwin, Henry David Thoreau, Nelson Mandela, Lynn Hall, Carol Burnett, Norman Vincent Peale, Heraclitus, and Michael Fry & T. Lewis.


	4. It's Rika's Life

Chapter Four: It's Rika's Life

"Ok, explain it to me again." Rika, once again, found herself in Yamaki's office.

Yamaki was sitting in his usual spot behind the desk with his interlocked fingers resting below his shades, Riley was standing by his side, and Shibumi was off to the side, putting together …something from the junk scattered around a nearby reclining chair.

"As Shibumi explained to us," Yamaki sighed, probably tired and frustrated. "The deletion explosion in the Digital World did not completely wipe out all data in the network. Packets of data escaped thru the portals and are trying to bio-emerge here, in the real world." He said, while sitting back in his chair.

Hearing this Rika nearly jumped out of her chair. "Hold on, are you saying that Ratzilla out there was some kind of Digimon?"

Yamaki leaned forward, as if preparing to 'once again' explain, until…

"Yes and No," Shibumi interrupted, having finished with whatever he was doing with the chair. "While these creatures do posses the ability to bio-emerge and also have the ability to absorb data from others like them. They don't posses the structural integrity to maintain a physical form in our world. Therefore, they infuse themselves into something from our world to hold themselves together. I guess you could call them Data Corrupts; things from the real world corrupted by incomplete data." He finished up; rubbing his beard with one hand.

Rika, Riley, and Yamaki repeatedly blinked at the Monster Maker.

"Ok, let's say I understand all that." Rika said, pushing a lock of hair out of her face. "How does that explain what happened to Takato? He looks like dino-boy! It can't be coincidence that his data just decided to corrupt gogglehead!" She moved her hand moved from her hair and started to wave it around frantically, emphasizing her point.

Nonchalantly nodding his head, Shibumi said "If you would follow me please," and began walking from the room, motioning for the other three to follow him. When they were half-way down the corridor, he began talking again, not bothering to look at any of them. "You were right; it was no coincidence that Takato got corrupted by Guilmon's data because it wasn't corruption."

"Wait! You just said…" Rika said, coming up on his left and trying to look him in the face.

"Yes, but the situation is different." Shibumi kept up a steady pace and a calming neutral voice, but his eyes began to squint and the mark on his head glowed slightly, making him look lost in thought. "The Corrupts would have begun making their way to our world after the detonation. But it would have taken them a while to find and open the portals, which is why they are only now arriving. Your partners' data had another route to this world."

"What, did they piggybacked on our digivices, or something?" Rika asked, half stumbling in her stride.

"For the lack of a better term; yes." Shibumi continued, not breaking stride or that annoying calm in his voice. "At the moment of the explosion, their remaining data was pulled toward the only remaining bond they had, with you. The D-Arks thus used up the energy that kept them solid in our world in order to ensure that your partners' data could reach you."

Rika was caught off guard after she realized she had been lead to the large waiting room where the remaining tamers and families were waiting.

For the first time, Rika **really** notice the oddities about her friends. Henry was massaging his hands and lower arms like mad. Jeri looked like she just woke up from the worst night sleep, ever. 'Mr. Perfect' didn't look so perfect with his right arm hanging limp at his side. Kazu, who normally was so hyper and jumpy, was very slow and occasionally jerked as he moved. Kenta had a glazed look in his eyes, as if he wasn't fully aware of what was going on around him. Suzie was being more vocal than her brother; while also rubbing her arms, she was also complaining to her mother also about having a bad headache.

It took awhile for Rika to spot Ai and Mako, until she saw them hiding behind the couch Takato was sprawled out on; the dark area being as far away from the window that completely covered the other wall.

"Welcome to the NEW digital age, Ms. Nonaka." Yamaki said grimly.

(renewing audio devices)

Jyanyu Wong took a deep breath. "I'm not cut out for this." He said while trying to straighten his back out.

"What's the matter Tao? This too much work for an old programmer like you?" Babel joked as they both deposited their load onto what everyone dubbed, 'Shibumi's Chair'.

"You're one to talk," Curly said with a smile. "Who was it that came running in here this morning, completely out of breath, and asking 'What did I miss?'" As she was talking, she positioned the sleeping Takato in the proper spots according to Shibumi's directions. "I remember when you were the gofer for the team because 'you had the energy of a teenager', as you said."

"Besides," Jyanyu said, catching his breath. "I don't know if it's from the infusion or natural growth, but Takato gotten a lot heavier."

The Monster Makers had a moment of silence while Dolphin and Shibumi continued tinkering with the mechanics that appeared SLAPPED onto the otherwise normal leather recliner. "No offence Shibumi, but, Dolphin, do you honestly think this…" he tapped the chair with his foot. "…contraption will do what he says it'll do?"

"No offence taken, Tao." Shibumi offhandedly said without looking up.

Dolphin, meanwhile, leaned back to sit on his heels. With a reassuring smile, he spoke to Jyanyu. "Well, despite the fact that this has never been done before, the hardware design is sound. Mind you, I never thought of this being possible, but with all that's happened, I been reformatted if it doesn't work."

"That should do it." Shibumi said while standing back up.

With a small _humm_ and the power from two car batteries, individual specks of data began flowing from Takato's head and hands to the three, former, document scanners positioned in corresponding places. Jyanyu caught from the corner of his eyes that Shibumi's eyes were closed and the symbol on his forehead was once again glowing.

The Monster Makers stared in awe for several minutes, basking in the almost mystical feel of the scene… until an earth-shaking explosion knocked them all to their feet.

Babel was the first to make it to the window, followed by the other programmers. They all saw a cloud of smoke and dust had erupted about ten blocks away. Moments later, the next square block caved in on itself, creating another pillar of smoke. "That can't be good."

(uploading soundtrack)

Rumiko Nonaka was not having a good week. First, she went to the New Year's Eve party with Rika; getting to meet the families of all her little friends. While that wasn't so bad, Mr. Shioda and Mr. Kitagawa couldn't seem to get over the fact that she was 'the famous model, Makino'. _Sigh_ fan-boys at any age, she guessed. Then, her world nearly crumbled when Rika collapsed at the park. At the time, while she was also concerned about the other kids, nothing shook her more than the fact that her baby girl was hurt. Then, Rumiko's heart nearly broke again when she saw Rika stumble, knowing how much her daughter's pride meant to her. Followed closely by her baby being heartbroken from hearing that her friend, Renamon, was gone.

From there, things got _Strange_!

Mr. Yamaki brought Rika and the Matsuki boy back, but now Rika's friend was now RED!

To top it all off, she and Rika were now watching with everyone else, as parts of the city, for apparently no reason, started crumbling. "What is going on?" she asked.

"It's another one of them."

Rumiko turned to her daughter and was shocked by the look on her face. Never, not even when her ex-husband was brought up, had she ever seen Rika so livid. As if this 'one of them' had taken something priceless from her."What is it dear?"

"A Data Corrupt." Rumiko looked on in horror as her baby girl turned around headed to the door. "I'm going down there." She heard her daughter say.

_This ain't a song for the broken-hearted_

Riley was slightly shocked at the Nonaka girl's statement, but orders were orders, "Not so fast Rika," she said as Talley, herself, and two guards got between the girl and the door.

Talley spoke strongly, "Mr. Yamaki said that none of you should leave until Takato's data transfer is done."

"Besides," she added, "You haven't recovered yet. You won't stand a chance!"

Rika paused in front of her and spoke in an unruffled voice. "I hate to disappoint you, but I am stronger than I look."

"Rika, don't go!" Ms. Nonaka pleaded, her arm outstretched to her daughter. "Please, I couldn't stand it if I lost you."

"Sorry, mom." Rika whispered back in a tone that Riley barely heard.

Then, with three quick motions; the agile young girl slipped a hair tie from her wrist, pulled her hair back into it's normal spiked bun, and before anyone could stop her, phased out right in front of everybody's eyes.

"Darn it!" _why doesn't anyone ever listen? _She fell in step with everybody else as they hurried down the stares.

_No silent prayer for the faith-departed_

Rika felt a rush as she moved like a shadow from the 10th floor to the lobby. _No wonder why she did it so often._ As soon as her feet touched the ground, she dashed pass the various workers and straight out the front door. _Renamon; you said you would always protect me. I believe in you._

_I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd  
You're gonna hear my voice  
When I shout it out loud_

Rika skidded to a halt on the main walkway in front of Metropolitan Government Building, as the dust from a third implosion settled on the far side of the clearing. "WHOEVER YOU ARE, COME AND GET SOME! I'M READY!" she taunted.

"**Rika!"**

_That voice, oh no, not him!_ A different chill ran down her spine as the dust cloud began to sparkle, turning into a cool fog. Images began flashing thru her mind. Visions of horrified faces frozen in their cold prisons and the sickening smile that delighted in putting them there.

"**Rika… found you… mine… Tamer!" **

_Creep _Rika thought as soon as she heard that last word. _Keep it together Rika. He was dust long ago and if he's not, then it your job to send him back. _Rika steeled her nerves and strained her eyes to see what she HOPED wasn't there.

Then the fog billowed forward as a lone figure walked from it. It was human-shaped but it's entire body was made of ICE. Along the lower arms and at its shins there were frozen metal guards. There were metal and cloth wings folded along its back and, strangely enough, and a wheel on the outside of each of it's heels. "So… you just couldn't stay deleted, could you… Icedevimon!" Rika bit those last words, as if they stung like cold fire on her tongue.

_It's my life  
It's now or never_

His cold, hate-filled eyes pierced down to female before him. She would have been his if not for that lizard and fox. _She is out of my reach._ –screeccccccchh— _ARGH, no! She will be mine! If not with me then, within me! _**"Rika… ABSORB!"** he yelled out as the wheels at his feet begun spinning, rapidly launching him forward.

Rika narrowly dodged out of the way as he brought his fist down on the spot she had been standing. "So you wanna play rough, fine by me!" Rika yelled as she brought a fist around to punch him back.

"Ahhh!" He drew great pleasure as she stopped; her hand had turned pale-blue and coated in ice from touching him. He licked his icy lips and wondered what she would taste like.

_I ain't gonna live forever  
I just want to live while I'm alive_

"Rika!" Henry yelled as he and everyone, besides Takato and Shibumi, ran thru the entrance.

"**Leave alone!"** the creature yelled before turning it's head to face him and the other tamers. **"ICE SCREAM!"** it yelled as a wave of ice and snow rushed out of it's mouth and built up into a tundra between us and the plaza.

"No!" I yelled while pounding my fist onto the ice wall, "We got to help her!"

"**Heh, help self!" **the monster said as it turned back to Rika; who had fallen to her knees a few feet away, cradling her frozen hand close to her. **"Absorb Rika, they next."**

The monster's last words seemed to make Rika bristle. Henry watched in awe as she slowly stood up and looked the creature in the eyes, data swirling around her. "NOT ON YOUR LIFE!" she yelled as the data began to spin faster, condensing into an orb. Henry mouthed along with the words he heard. Data Infusion!

_(It's my life)_

Rika was lost in thought as the data enveloped her. Only one concept was running thru her mind. _No body hurts my FRIENDS! _With that, a comforting tingle filled her body.

_My heart is like an open highway  
Like Ryo said  
I did it my way_

Ryo's jaw hung loose when the bubble popped. It was Rika, but… wow! Her skin was now covered by a soft, light coat of yellow and white fur; her ears were now two inches longer and pointed at the tip; her feet had changed so that she was balancing on eight white paw pads instead of heels and toes; and finally, a bushy tail had come out of her spine, right above where her jeans had been hanging loosely on her, it's tip reaching to halfway down her shins.

"**DIE!" **the monster yelled, once again swinging a fist at her, but when the fist was a few inches from her face… she disappeared.

_I just wanna live while I'm alive_

"Hey, Frosty!" Rika taunted as she phased back in behind him. "Try blocking this, DIAMOND PAW!" Her fist turned into hard gemstone as it connected with Neo-Icedevimon's shoulder, breaking off chunks of crushed ice and sending cracks along the rest of his body.

"**Aggh!" **He yelled, spinning around to attack her face-on again. **"Wench, Die, SWEET DEMISE!" **Cones of colored ice appeared from inside his wings, flying at the fox-girl.

"Correction, I'm a vixen!" she yelled back stretching her hands upward, "VIXEN STORM!" A ring of blue fireballs formed over her hands. As she brought her hands forward, the fireballs launching forward, melting the colorful spears as they crossed paths, and each one hitting a vital point on neo-Icedevimon.

"**NOOO! ICE SCREAM!" **In one final, desperate attempt by the ice demon, it launched another wave of ice and snow. This time aiming at the foxified Nonaka.

"Oh, yes." She taunted back as she jumped thru the oncoming blizzard and went in for one more attack, "Now stay dead, DIAMOND PAW!" Once again, her fist became precious stone. This time, being powered by all of her loathing for this creature, the impact on the monster's face caused his whole body to shatter. The pieces of ice turning back into data and… a vendor's ice cream cart!

Rika's eyebrows rose as her face remained placid. "Huh, go figure." _…what a stupid thing to possess._

'_Cause it's my life_

Suzie followed as everyone headed thru the melting ice wall. Ryo was the first to reach Rika, and Suzie thought she recognized the strange smile on the legendary tamer's face. _He better not be doing what I think he is._

"Hay Rika!" Ryo yelled, even thou he was right in front of the data-infused girl. "Those were some FOXY moves!" he said while grabbing Rika's hand.

_He did… _Suzie thought as she turned away from the coming carnage. She heard the war cry of, "SHUT IT WITH THE STUPID PICKUP LINES, RYO!" followed by the sounds of a double-fisted, Rika-patented, ego-breaking beating. _Stupid boys._

(End Soundtrack)

Author's Notes: The lyrics were (with some editing) taken from Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" Also, one/two line(s) in this story was taken from another show. Guess which lines and which show correctly, and I'll give you a fanfic-cookie (one that you can only eat in fanfic reviews).


End file.
